Temple Tribune CITY
templecitytribune.com
Monday edition of the
Monrovia Weekly
FREE
Monday, JUNE 30, 2014 - july 6, 2014 Volume 19, No. 26
Fireworks illegal in Arcadia and most cities
Student access to quality computer science education prevails
Arcadia Municipal Code 3124.8: No person shall use, light, fire, discharge, explode, set off, sell, display for sale, possess, store, or manufacture any fireworks, including so-called “Safe and Sane” fireworks, anywhere within the City except as provided by the Municipal Code and approved by the Fire Chief. “Safe and Sane” fireworks are neither safe nor sane. When things go wrong with fireworks, they typically go very wrong, very fast. Each July 4th, thousands of people, most often children and teens, are injured while using consumer fireworks. Despite the dangers of fireworks, few people understand the associated risks - devastating burns, other injuries, fires, and even death. In 2011, 9,600 fireworks-related injuries were treated in U.S. hospital
Assemblyman Curt Hagman’s (R-Chino Hills) computer science education bill, Assembly Bill 1539, was unanimously passed by the Senate Education Committee, with a vote of 5-0. AB 1539 would encourage the Instructional Quality Commission of the Department of Education to develop content standards for teaching computer science in grades K-12 and recommend them to the State Board of Education for adoption by July
Please see page 5
Lower excise tax rate on gasoline starts July 1 With the Fourth of July holiday on its way and summertime road trips on the minds of many California drivers, the California State Board of Equalization (BOE) announced today that starting July 1, 2014, the excise tax rate on gasoline will go down to $0.36 per gallon. The new rate of $0.36 – down from $0.395 – was reached after the Board voted unanimously at its February 2014 meeting to lower the rate for the 2014-2015 fiscal year, which ends June 30, 2015. While Californians will be paying less in state excise tax at the pump starting July 1, that doesn’t necessarily mean it will translate into lower gasoline prices. Other factors, such as world crude Please see page 11
ballots are HERE! page 2
-Photo by Terry Miller
Public urged to use extreme caution due to drought conditions
Please see page 4
Rusnak/Arcadia named Arcadia Business of the Year
CAL FIRE offers fireworks safety this Fourth of July Many Californians and visitors will be celebrating our nation’s independence this July 4th holiday with fireworks but CAL FIRE urges extreme caution during California’s drought emergency. It can take hundreds of thousands
of gallons of water to control a large wildfire. Effective July 1, 2014, CAL FIRE Chief Ken Pimlott ordered a ban on open burning throughout the 31 million acres of state rePlease see page 9
Rep. Chu, House Members address the border surge of unaccompanied minors Congresswoman Judy Chu (CA-27) along with Members of the House Judiciary Committee discussed the increasing number of unaccompanied minors fleeing Central America and crossing into the United States at the House Judiciary Committee hearing titled “An Administration Made Disaster:
The South Texas Border Surge of Unaccompanied Alien Minors.” Rep. Chu released the following statement: “The very title of this hearing is misleading, just like the notion that these children have a “free pass” Please see page 6
-Courtesy Photo
The Arcadia Chamber of Commerce has announced the winners of the 2014 annual Business Awards to be presented July 17 at the monthly Networking Breakfast in the Sunset Room of the Santa Anita Golf Course: • Business of the Year: Rusnak/Arcadia MercedesBenz • Business Person of the Year: Chris Andersson, Foothill Credit Union • Chamber Service Award: Bruce McCallum
• New Member of the Year: Allen Tsay, Waddell & Reed In a first for the event, a quartet from the Pasadena Symphony and Pops will perform prior to the ceremony as attendees arrive and eat breakfast, and Resident Pasadena Pops Conductor Larry Blank will make a short presentation about the Pops’ summer concert series at the Arboretum, including the July 19th concert, Michael Feinstein Sings Gershwin.
Tickets to the breakfast are $20 in advance ($25 at the door) and discounted to $15 for Chamber members who pay at least two days in advance ($20 at the door for Chamber members). No charge for those holding a Chamber All Access Pass. Call 626-447-2159or purchase online in the “Shop” area at www.ArcadiaCaChamber. org, or at Chamber office, 388 W. Huntington Drive, Arcadia, during regular business hours.